Malaysian rare-earth plant granted operating license

New York Times : Rare-earth elements are not that uncommon in Earth’s crust, but they’re typically dispersed. Economically exploitable forms are rare, however. China currently mines and processes more than 90% of rare earths on the market, and it has placed restrictions on their export over the past several years. On 1 February, Malaysian regulators granted Lynas, an Australian company, an initial operating license for a rare-earth metals refinery expected to open this year. The refinery will process concentrated rare-earth ore from a Lynas mine deep in the Australian desert. Each year it will use thousands of tons of powerful sulfuric acid to separate the valuable minerals from dirt and radioactive contaminants. According to a statement by the Malaysian Atomic Energy Licensing Board, within 10 months Lynas must submit a plan for permanently disposing of the more than 1000 tons of low-level radioactive waste that the refinery will produce each month.